Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A double shot of devastating news turns Justin Evanson’s life upside down. When he learns his father has cancer, and he has siblings he never knew existed, he leaves everything behind and moves to Virginia to support his dad as he tries to make amends with his family—a family Justin’s not sure he has a place in. Things go from bad to worse when he discovers his recent hookup is his newfound sister’s brother-in-law.
Drew Sinclair never expected to see Justin after their night at the club or to discover their family connection. If anyone found out, it would give Drew’s brother another reason to hate him. But there’s something about Justin that draws him in, and it’s not only because they burn up the sheets together.
One meeting leads to another, and before Justin realizes it, Drew has become the only thing in his world he feels is his. And for the first time in his life, Drew knows what it means to be needed. Being there for Justin and supporting him when things spiral out of control feels right. But with so much happening so quickly, it’s hard to trust their feelings. Is this thing between them real? Or just a test drive before life forces them down two separate roads?

Justin made his way toward his… brother and Landon gave him a quick nod.

“Is this as weird for you as it is for me?” Landon asked.

Justin exhaled. “Yes. Christ. I didn’t expect it to be.” Which didn’t make sense. Of course it would be strange. They were a mismatched family, celebrating his father’s birthday when the man looked like he would pass out at any second.

“What? How could you not expect this to be uncomfortable? Hell, I’m just Landon’s boyfriend and it’s even awkward for me,” Rod said, and Justin glanced up to see Landon lovingly roll his eyes, before he wrapped an arm around Rod’s shoulders and pulled him close. Rod was smaller than Landon. He wore black eyeliner that made his eyes stand out.

“Please, don’t hold back for us,” Landon replied.

“I wouldn’t think of it,” was Rod’s response, but Justin thought he knew what Rod was doing. He wanted to make Landon laugh, wanted to take the edge off, and he found himself grateful that Landon hadn’t let the fact that Rod found out about Justin and his dad before Landon did come between them. They were a strong couple. You could see the love between them.

The three of them chatted for a few minutes before Rod excused himself for the restroom.

“I should probably go talk to him.” Landon crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. There was no doubt in Justin’s mind whom he was speaking about.

“I know he’d like that. I get that it’s hard, though.”

Landon turned his way. “What do I say? Jesus, it’s really shitty that I don’t know how to talk to my own dad.”

Anger burned through Justin’s insides. He was angry at their dad for putting them all in this situation. How hard would it have been to tell Justin and his mom about Shanen and Landon? To be a father to them, too? He bit back the anger and said, “Hi. Happy Birthday. Anything will do.”

Landon didn’t move, though. He eyed their father on the other side of the room. Justin followed his stare, which is how he saw the man walk in. But not just any man. Drew. The guy he met in a club the night Shanen got married. His brows pulled together. What in the hell was he doing here? Because this wasn’t awkward enough without the guy he wanted to fuck obviously knowing Shanen. “Ah, hell. I think I jerked off in a club with the guy who just walked in.”

“What?” Landon’s voice actually cracked on the word. He looked from Justin, to Drew, and back to Justin again. His gut sank, and he was pretty sure he should have kept his mouth shut because this was about to get a whole lot worse. “That’s Shanen’s brother-in-law. He’s Jacob’s brother, and I’m pretty sure Shanen would have told me if he wasn’t straight. I know he’s not close with Jacob, but she would have thought it was coincidence enough if she married a man with a gay or bisexual brother.”

Oh fuck. Damn it all to hell.

Justin tried to hide his shock. He looked at Drew again, studied him—the scruff on his face, that jaw and those fucking lips—of course it was really who he thought it was. Still, he said the first lie that popped into his head. “Shit. That’s not him. Hair’s not right and I’d remember that mouth anywhere.” Which was true. It was the first thing he’d noticed.

Wasn’t this just perfect? He’d come here to get to know his family, and out of all the men in Virginia, he’d somehow ended up jacking off with his sister’s husband’s brother, who was obviously in the closet.

The brother of the year award definitely wasn’t going to him.

Landon eyed him, skepticism in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Rod stepped back up and wrapped his arms around Landon.

“What did I miss?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine, while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.

Friday, May 27, 2016

SWORD AND STAR is the conclusion of a trilogy I started (with my co-author for LINE AND ORBIT Lisa Soem) over a decade ago. It's been a long, strange journey and now it's over. It’s not the first book trilogy I've finished, but it's certainly the closest to my heart.

It's been amazing getting to know this world and these characters over the course of three books, and it's been even more amazing getting to share it all with readers. Adam Yuga and Lochlan d’Bideshi’s story is done, Eva Reyes and Kyle Waverly have found their own conclusion, Kae and Leila’s part in this tale is over (though you’ll see those two again in the forthcoming LINEAGE), and I've bid a fond farewell to the Bideshi seer Nkiruka. Goodbyes are never easy, but when you arrive at a good one, it's immensely satisfying.

I'm so grateful to everyone who's traveled with me, and just as grateful to the people coming to the story now. Whatever category you fall into, I hope you'll find this final volume a fitting end.

Three months after a brutal battle at Peris, Adam Yuga, Lochlan D’Bideshi, and their rebel fleet are embroiled in a new conflict. But things aren’t going well. Even with Lock’s homeship, Ashwina, at the head of the fleet, the Protectorate forces are adapting to their tactics. Before long, two devastating blows send the ragtag rebels on the run. But the greatest threat may come from within.

Since the battle at Peris, Protectorate loyalist Isaac Sinder’s determination to eliminate the rebel fleet has only intensified—along with his ambition. The Protectorate is decaying, and it’s clear to Isaac that only he can save it, by any means necessary.

As the situation worsens for the rebels, the strain begins to tell on everyone. But more than exhaustion grows within Adam. Something alien has started to change him. Lochlan fights to hold on, but even he may not be able to follow Adam down the dark road ahead.

As Isaac’s obsession turns to insanity, it becomes evident that more sinister plans than his are at work. Bound together by threads of fate and chance, Adam and Lochlan turn their eyes toward a future that may tear them apart—if they’re lucky enough to survive it at all.

About Sunny Moraine

Sunny Moraine’s short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Nightmare, Lightspeed, Long Hidden: Speculative Fiction from the Margins of History, and multiple Year’s Best collections, among other places. They are also responsible for the novels Line and Orbit (cowritten with Lisa Soem), Labyrinthian, and the Casting the Bones trilogy, as well as A Brief History of the Future: collected essays. In addition to authoring, Sunny is a doctoral candidate in sociology and a sometimes college instructor; that last may or may not have been a good move on the part of their department. They unfortunately live just outside Washington DC in a creepy house with two cats and a very long-suffering husband.

To celebrate the release of Sword and Star, Sunny is giving away a signed copy of the book and a handmade necklace.Leave a comment to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 28, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

This isn’t a buddy read. Our co-reviews are done on a blind basis. We both choose the book we want to read, but from there on out we don’t discuss any of our thoughts before the review is live. We think it’s more fun this way and we won’t influence each other.

Three QuestionsWe’ll form 3 questions for each other during our read to be answered in the comments below the review. Please feel free to join in our discussion, we’re always happy to know what you think.

CO-REVIEW

Triggers:Deals with PTSD, death, and injury.

OJ

I read Ms. Davidson’s call for reviews of her upcoming book and the first thing that grabbed my attention was the blurb. Oh, yeah! Come to papa! This read as if it had all the ingredients I go for in a book: A strong alpha type, a strong second MC, a contemporary, factual story line… and then when I saw the cover? Oh, wow! The cover. I absolutely fell in love with the cover. My hat off to Rue Volley for a cover that’s so well themed to the book – and absolutely gorgeous! Thank you, Ms. Volley.

His war has just begun.

Lisa

OJ, OJ, OJ what have you gotten me into here? This one's on you dude. Talk about a difficult book to review, whew! Solid storytelling and plot development here. It took me from deep depths of emotional despair, to soaring elation with second-chance relationships to incredible frustration with some of the writing aspects. I was adjusting my review score constantly. Bottom line - I'd say this was hit and miss, but with big hits and big misses.

THE CHARACTERS

OJ

James Massey - He had on a baseball cap, wore sunglasses even though they were inside, and he had a face covered in a full beard. His hair was too long, but it was pretty clear by the stretch of hist-shirt across his chest that the guy was built like an armored truck. He was golden tan and his arms were covered in ink. He just sat there and stared toward the front door. … He slowly took off his sunglasses and for the first time, they could see his brilliant green eyes. …taking off his cap and running his hand through his dark brown locks.

Chris Baker - It didn’t hurt that he was handsome in a cowboy way, strong facial structure, easy smile and charm that wouldn’t quit. He was also built like a professional athlete, long and lean, with just enough muscle that no one messed with him. … never met another man who could reach a climax more than once during a fuck and it was as if Chris was just getting started, each one building in intensity for both partners until all that was left behind was satiated flesh and two tired cowboys.

Lisa

James (Jamie) Massey - Dyed in the wool Special Forces soldier, Jamie has been on tour four times. He's seen too much, lost too much, but can he be resurrected?

Chris Baker - Freakin' sexy-ass cowboy bull rider, Chris is a dichotomy. He is a country boy drawn to the big city. He finds a lot there, including the love of his life.

THE STORY

OJ

The question: what happens to these men we train to protect and serve after they’ve given their all?The answer: read on.What an excellent, contemporary, up to date story this is. Ms. Davidson hit the nail right on the head with this one. We have two strong, muscular, masculine alpha types and the interplay of their different life stories coming together at a crucial point in their lives that makes for such a good, strong story arc.Jamie, the strong alpha type, brought up by a strict, uncompromising father that always made Jamie strive for more and show no weakness, shutting down his emotional side.It was apparent from what they had witnessed that the captain was extremely hard on his only son, always telling him he could be better, stronger, faster, even if he had been victorious.Jamie’s life was shaped by the inevitability of his going into military service and his determination to be the best: Delta Force, and then his falling in love with his college roommate, Derrick, and their best friend, Shannon. These factors, and his multiple, gruesome deployments, all come into play to create the stoic, hardened man that’s yearning for love and understanding.Chris is the sexy, muscular, lean, intelligent rodeo cowboy that grew up, and was shaped by, a totally accepting and supportive family. His story is that of a man that comes of age in the rough and tumble sport of bull riding, only to have that future dashed by an almost crippling injury. Going off to college and meeting his first love, Ben, and their story is what shapes him into Jamie’s perfect counterpart.

The life experiences, and tragedies (no spoilers!) these men undergo are part and parcel of what makes them the perfect fit and makes for such a good story. I found this book hard to put down and now I want more.

Lisa

This book was a struggle. Jamie struggled. Chris struggled. I struggled.

Jamie never had a choice whether he would be a soldier or not. It's in his family's blood. He was groomed from a young age to do his best, be the best, and as he rises to each and every challenge. But he also loses bits of himself along the way.Chris is one of the good guys. He's talented, intelligent and caring. Maybe too caring. I think the reader is supposed to fall for Jamie, but it was Chris for me all the way. Settle in for a very complete story about two men who have lived a lot of life and then come together at a point in their lives that find them both ruined. Trying to survive the depths of despair and the horrors of war, there isn't much left for these guys to give. And yet, they find a way.

THE WRITING

OJ

The writing, timing, and delivery of the story is good for this POV. It has been a while since I read a book with a narrative style POV and while, I must admit, it’s not necessarily my favorite POV, it worked for me with this story although it’s hard to get used to at first. We are treated, almost in a movie script kind of way, to Jamie and Chris’ story.

Jamie’s hard, military brat upbringing. His coming of age in college and falling in love with Derrick and his struggling to let his emotions and feelings for Derrick come out, coupled with his enormous drive to attain his goal. The pace of the story during Jamie’s deployments is set just right, giving us the full background for what comes later.

Chris’ story follows a similar, well timed delivery. His bull riding youth, the tragic accident and then his falling in love with Ben are brought to us in a rich, full story-telling that works in this narrative POV. Chris’ love and devotion come to life in full, vibrant color. This is what hardens this man for his fated encounter with Jamie.

Lisa

Annd this is where I struggled. I realize backstory is important, but it felt like it was worked out after the main story had been written and that rarely works. Honestly I would have trimmed the heck out of it. It wasn't repetitive, but it was just too much. There was nearly no dialog for the first twenty percent and that really slowed down the read. At times I felt like I was reading a non-fiction, or even a mission report about Jamie's deployments.Top that off with fade-to-black scenes (not just the sex scenes) that were just getting somewhere enjoyable and...I struggled.And then the very weak editing affected tempo and overall readability, unfortunately. However!There were some brilliant, shocking and emotional moments that made the book memorable. I'm still thinking about these guys; they've stuck with me. This author has solid storytelling abilities that a more ardent editor could resurrect. I won't hesitate to give her work another try.

THE EDITING

OJ

Here’s where I had some misgivings with this book, although not a deal breaker for me this time, even though I’m such a stickler for this, because the story itself and the heart and soul of the writing is pretty darn good. There are several typos, misspellings and incorrect sentence structures and tense usages that, quite frankly, shouldn’t be there in a story delivery such as this one. I had to go back and re-read a few passages, and that just shouldn’t be. I have to admit I couldn’t go to 4 stars because of this, but please, don’t let it deter you from enjoying this book. Deep in it’s a good story that had me in tears at some points, biting my nails at others, and grooving on some kinky sex scenes at others. Enjoy!Ms. Davidson is a good, solid writer and I really look forward to her next endeavors.

THE THREE QUESTIONS

For Lisa

1) Standalone or sequel, and if so, what kind of sequel?2) How did you feel about Chris’ steadfastness?3) Did you think there were any unanswered questions/situations/occurrences?

Blurb:
Two men with painful, complicated pasts who have shut themselves down from ever loving again. Complete opposites of one another, one raised in a strict military household, who grew up with the sole purpose of becoming a soldier and defending his country, only to have that cut short by an IED; and the other raised in the rodeo, small town and ranch life his safe haven; and their chance meeting.How the two of them end up in some small town diner can only be credited to divine intervention. But are both men too damaged? They say God works in mysterious ways. Well, he certainly had his hands full when he chose these two for saving.Is it too late?

THE AUTHOR

Who is Shelly Davidson? Shelly is someone who has been writing literally her entire life (and that’s a LONG time) and has always written M/M. Her first story was back in high school and she hasn’t stopped since. Of course, Shelly never dreamed of getting published, so needless to say, she’s in heaven! Shelly loves her characters. Her writing focus is real people, flaws and all, who are hurting or damaged, but deserve a little joy in their lives. Shelly was born and raised in Arizona, but currently lives in California because that is where the money is! She is currently single, but has a grown daughter and an adorable grandson both of whom she loves dearly. While she usually stays pretty much to herself, she does have a Bachelor’s in Social Services and a diverse background that ranges from theater to health care and currently works in accounting, she swears it’s not as boring as it sounds. While this is her first publication, it is by far not the last! She plans on being around for quite some time! You’ve been warned!

THE DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Shelly Davidson and Encompass Ink Publishing for providing OJ He Say with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.I would like to thank the author, S. Davidson for providing Lisa Arbitrary with a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Vinnie Delarosa and Ethan Thorne are partners—on and off the clock. Federal undercover detectives, they’re part of a covert task force designed to promote goodwill between the feds and local authorities. They lend an unobtrusive helping hand wherever it’s needed. No credit required.

Vinnie and Ethan work primarily in the Southeast region of the United States and live together in Richmond, Virginia. A mugger problem brings them to Roanoke, where Vinnie is thrown out as bait to catch the man who’s been snatching purses in a city park, but they end up with more than they bargained for. Why is Vinnie always the one who has to wear the dress? Ethan says it’s because Vinnie looks much prettier in a skirt. How can he argue with that?

Expecting to return to Richmond afterward, Vinnie and Ethan find themselves assigned a new case instead. They are to go undercover at The Stroll, one of the biggest gay nightclubs in Roanoke. Someone is terrorizing both the customers and the performers. Could they be dealing with a hate crime? Someone has to protect the drag queens of Roanoke, so it’s Vinnie and Ethan to the rescue!

The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.

Excerpt:

“Remind me again whose stupid idea this lipstick was,” I huffed under my breath. Without thinking, I licked my lips. They felt greasy, and tasted even worse. I forced myself not to grimace, afraid it might crack the foundation I’d slathered on my face.

“Fuck you,” I growled. “You should be doing this, not me, and you know it. I did it last time.”

And the time before that. And the time before that. Wait, did I detect a pattern here?

“What I know is you look better in a skirt than I do. And you look damn good out of it too.”

My cheeks filled with heat at Ethan’s words. Luckily the darkness hid a multitude of sins, my embarrassment being the least of them. Hopefully, no one else was listening—I knew I’d never hear the end of it. Just what I needed—to be the object of ridicule of the Roanoke PD.

Meet the author:

Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the 1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the journey a very educational one.

She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms, and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her great challenge is to be told something can’t be done—she feels compelled to do it.

When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, needlepoint and knitting, and she loves to cook, spending time watching the Food Network. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks she’s a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, and Wayward Ink Press.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

To get the ball rolling on her upcoming M/M pnr vampire release, Surrender the Dark, Tibby Armstrong is giving away a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner!!!

It's easy peasy, to enter. Just sign up to receive Tibby's quarterly newsletter. You'll be in the know and get the scoop on all the excitement. Tibby will choose one random winner from the new subscribers. Thank you for helping me support one of my favorite - and very talented - authors. Good Luck!

Romance author,
Tibby Armstrong, has a lust for books and a love of travel.On the terrestrial
plane, she dreams of springtime in Paris, and has journeyed across the pond to
London, Oxford, and Bath. She travels more extensively, through worlds both
strange and familiar, via science fiction, urban fantasy, mystery,
romance, biography, and travel memoirs.
Tibby’s favorite authors include Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Moon, Maria V.
Snyder, and Jane Austen, to name a few. To see the rest, and read some reviews,
find her extensive reading list on Goodreads.

Having completed her MLS, when she’s not writing, Tibby works toward defying
librarian stereotypes; yet, she lives with her two cats, four laptops, and
enough books to collapse a poorly engineered house. Most weekends you can find
her in a local coffee shop with one of the laptops and a full-fat mocha. (She’s
working on getting the cats to come along.)
Having completed her MLS, when she’s not writing, Tibby works toward defying
librarian stereotypes; yet, she lives with her two cats, four laptops, and
enough books to collapse a poorly engineered house. Most weekends you can find
her in a local coffee shop with one of the laptops and a full-fat mocha. (She’s
working on getting the cats to come along.)

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook.